The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Jacksonville man in connection with a shooting that occurred early Tuesday morning in Sarasota.

Just before 2:00 a.m., deputies were called to the 2500 block of Green Oak Court for the report of a shooting. When deputies arrived, they found a 64-year-old man deceased with several gunshot wounds. The suspect was immediately identified as 30-year-old Patrick Eckardt, who was visiting the home where the incident took place. According to witnesses, Eckardt was cutting utility cables outside the home which led to a verbal confrontation with the victim.  As the argument escalated, Eckardt armed himself with a handgun from a holster on his waistband, firing it several times at the victim before fleeing in a silver pick-up truck. Deputies quickly located the truck traveling westbound on Fruitville Road and conducted a traffic stop. Eckardt was taken into custody and transported to the Sarasota County Correctional Facility. Detectives later executed a search warrant on the truck and recovered a firearm inside the glovebox.

Eckardt, DOB 02/10/92, is charged with a single count of Second Degree Murder and remains in custody today without bond. Although the incident is domestic in nature, the family of the victim opted into privacy rights afforded through Marsy’s Law, and as such, his identity will not be released. The investigation is ongoing.